Las Vegas Bowl has a nice setup like Kittenhead is discussing. MWC #1 vs Pac 12 #6 ( I think), this year Boise vs Oregon. In a 38,000 seat stadium, depending on the teams crowds can go from 25,000 to sellouts.

(12-03-2017 08:58 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(12-03-2017 07:51 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  Here is who is playing in these games this year:

Holiday (Michigan St. 9-3 vs. Washington St. 9-3)
Sun (Arizona St. 7-5 vs. North Carolina St. 8-4)
Liberty (Memphis 10-2 vs. Iowa St. 7-5)
Independence (Florida St. 6-6 vs. Southern Miss 8-4)

Holiday Bowl as we can see has a nice P5 matchup with two 9-3 teams. Its played in an NFL stadium a big time venue.

However city of San Diego is tearing the NFL stadium down. It will be replaced by a 35,000 seat on campus stadium for SDSU. Clearly it won't be P5 bowl material in the future.

If instead something were done with these games whereby they were considered as a second tier NY4 to go along with the NY6 they could be possibly more interesting.

Holiday (Michigan St. 9-3 vs. Boise St. 10-3)
Sun (Washington St. 9-3 vs. Florida Atlantic 10-3)
Liberty (Toledo 10-2 vs. Iowa St. 7-5)
Independence (North Carolina St 8-4 vs. Troy 10-2)

These games could still play matchmaker on who sells the most tickets which obviously puts the MAC last in line but included they could still be.

The 3 current bowls with the P5 v P5 listed here are more attractive bowls by far to the mass generic sports fans than the ones you suggest. The Liberty Bowl this year is already P v G.

I just don’t see how they would get better ratings than the current matchups. Ratings are king. Attendance is only secondary. Attendance is down for most of the minor bowls no matter the opponents.

Another factor here at play is the P is talking about more new bowl games for itself in markets like Chicago in 2 years while at the same time imposing limits on the number of bowl games a conference can sign.

That is just going to push the Holiday, Sun, Liberty, Independence lower in the P pecking order than what they already are. The P wants to move all of its games into professional stadiums be it FB or a baseball stadium. Stadiums with killer concessions and gender neutral bathrooms for the fans.

The G goal is to get more of its programs competing for major bowl games to enhance recruiting relative to the P. They don't want tiny bowls for their champs.

(12-03-2017 10:55 PM)DICK Wrote:  Las Vegas Bowl has a nice setup like Kittenhead is discussing. MWC #1 vs Pac 12 #6 ( I think), this year Boise vs Oregon. In a 38,000 seat stadium, depending on the teams crowds can go from 25,000 to sellouts.

Bowl selections in the P5 conferences once you move beyond the conference champion are largely a popularity contest.

Citrus: Notre Dame vs. LSU
Outback: Michigan vs. South Carolina

Then you have stuff like this that is pretty bogus.

Sun: NC State vs. Arizona St.
Music City: Kentucky vs. Northwestern

Why is Northwestern a Top 25 team stuck playing a 7-5 Kentucky team in a bowl game when they could have a piece of Boise St in a bowl? The same with Northwestern. A few smaller P5 programs are getting screwed over each year with a lessor opponent. Colorado should have been NY6 last year but was screwed into a second tier P5 bowl.

That is why I think a G5 NY4 series with the Holiday, Sun, Independence, Liberty could be not just nice for the G5 but act as a safety net for Top 25 P5 teams that can't get into the Citrus or Outback type situation because of a smaller fanbase.

(12-03-2017 10:55 PM)DICK Wrote:  Las Vegas Bowl has a nice setup like Kittenhead is discussing. MWC #1 vs Pac 12 #6 ( I think), this year Boise vs Oregon. In a 38,000 seat stadium, depending on the teams crowds can go from 25,000 to sellouts.

And, in a few years there will be a brand new, huge FB stadium there.

That bowl game could really be upgraded but how?

OR maybe TWO bowl games, this one, plus a big time bowl game (e.g., rivaling a New Years game).

(12-03-2017 04:35 PM)george14 Wrote:  Pretty upset NIU got rewarded with the QL bowl essentially when CMU would bring tons of fans and its a home game

Stop the presses, I agree with george14. I am seeking therapy.

(12-04-2017 11:16 AM)HuronDave Wrote:  

(12-03-2017 04:35 PM)george14 Wrote:  Pretty upset NIU got rewarded with the QL bowl essentially when CMU would bring tons of fans and its a home game

Stop the presses, I agree with george14. I am seeking therapy.

LOL it's all good. But I think what happened was since the Potato Bowl had priority, they picked CMU because they saw us as the #2 MAC team. While the QL Bowl is a secondary tie-in. Regardless, CMU holds the attendance record at that bowl and basically any MI team will draw well.